Nottingham Ingenuity Centre, University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham’s brand new Ingenuity Centre is one of those rare buildings that looks cutting edge yet captures a sense of heritage.

The new centre will be home to start-up enterprises and entrepreneurs creating businesses based on cutting edge technology and research – including big data and digital, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and energy – and liaising with university research departments and post-graduate students.

It was part-funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy under its pilot University Enterprise Zone scheme, with matched funding from The University of Nottingham and the Haydn Green Charitable Trust.

Bearing in mind both the function of the building and the site’s significant cultural history, a combination of ‘hi-tech and heritage’ was part of the design philosophy from the outset for architects Bond Bryan.